Lentheric and Cabrerolles from La Liquière

A pleasant hike through the schistous terroirs of the Faugères wine region, with vines at all altitudes right down to the bottom of the "Meteor" crater.

Technical sheet

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 13.93 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 5h 05 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Return to departure point: Yes
  • ↗
    Vertical gain: + 394 m
  • ↘
    Vertical drop: - 386 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 454 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 162 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Start: Start from the car park behind the school near the exit from La Liquière.

(S/E) Go past the school along the road and take the track on your left across the road just before the bridge. Follow it to the ford, cross the Ruisseau de Rebault, 500 metres further on, keep left on the road before joining the GRP®.

Red and yellow GRP (Tours en Minervois)__

(1) Follow the signposted path, through vineyards and undergrowth, southwards for almost 1.5 km, until you reach the road (D136). Keep to the marked path, ignoring tracks to the left and then to the right, until it joins the road and you enter Lenthéric.

No longer GRP® signposting

(2) ¨Pass through the village by the road and, at its western exit, keep to the D136 towards the mills (which can be visited), leaving the road on the left.

(3) Return to the road, continue to the crossroads and cross the bridge on the left over the Ruisseau de Valignières.

(4) A second time, cross the stream again 200 m further on, after leaving the road for the path which climbs up on the right. The path winds its way up through copses and crops, becomes a track, turns east after 2 km to skirt the Montgros on its right, then continues due north, ignoring secondary tracks on its left.

(5) At Ruisseau de Montgros, fork north-west then north to the edge of a vineyard.

(6) Take a narrow path, hardly visible, between low walls and vines on the right, follow the first row to the end and continue due north at the end of the vines, leaving a concrete shelter on the right. The path turns right, following the vegetation, to join a well-marked track that leads up to Cabrerolles, where you can see the castle.

(7) For a round trip, first follow the track to the right which descends due south to the bottom of a perfectly circular depression planted with vines. This could be the crater of a meteor!

(8) After a visit and a rest, take the same track back up to the crossroads.

(7) Continue north towards the Château.

Red and yellow markings GRP®

(9) On the right, join a path marked GRP®. The path enters Cabrerolles, passes the mill and turns towards the cemetery and restored church. At the corner of the cemetery, a signpost indicates a number of hiking trails, including the local summit Pic de la Coquillade.

(10) Take the path leading up to the gorge, but watch out for the signs to climb the stairs on the left and wind between the houses to the château. Cross the majestic ruins that once controlled the entrance to the gorge, reach the summit with the Chapelle Notre-Dame de la Roque and continue through a gap in the surrounding wall to join the marked path in the garrigue.

(11) The path goes deep into the undergrowth, initially flat, rising steeply after crossing a stream to reach a crossroads of roads and tracks.

Unmarked

(12) Turn right onto a faint path just before the asphalt road heading south. This path follows it closely, avoiding the bends, and begins to descend around Balaruc. It comes alongside the signposted path several times, but leaves it to descend steeply into a wooded combe on a path with loose rocks. It crosses a tarmac road (D154) and continues downhill, this time through coniferous undergrowth, until it reaches another tarmac road.

(13) Continue on this road to the right and follow it for about 700 m before meeting a track on the left.

(14) Make a hairpin turn onto this track, which descends through the undergrowth to a stream and then heads back south-east on the other side. The track descends more steeply due south, then westwards towards La Liquière, which it reaches after a ford. The track becomes paved. Continue past the first houses that lead to the edge of the old town. Go around it to reach the school car park at the edge of the village. (S/E)

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 188 m - La Liquière school car park, close to the Taurou river
  2. 1 : km 0.67 - alt. 207 m - Red and yellow marked path
  3. 2 : km 2.03 - alt. 166 m - Lenthéric
  4. 3 : km 2.95 - alt. 162 m - Mills
  5. 4 : km 3.34 - alt. 168 m - Start of path northwards
  6. 5 : km 5.18 - alt. 221 m - Montgros stream
  7. 6 : km 6.02 - alt. 297 m - Start of path eastwards
  8. 7 : km 6.3 - alt. 293 m - Junction with track to Caberolles
  9. 8 : km 6.69 - alt. 259 m - Meteor crater
  10. 9 : km 7.2 - alt. 301 m - Junction with GRP marked track
  11. 10 : km 7.97 - alt. 305 m - Cabrerolles
  12. 11 : km 8.34 - alt. 373 m - Ruined castel and chapel
  13. 12 : km 9 - alt. 454 m - Crossroads of roads and a path
  14. 13 : km 10.77 - alt. 343 m - Tarmac road
  15. 14 : km 11.41 - alt. 297 m - Track to the left
  16. S/E : km 13.93 - alt. 187 m - La Liquière school car park

Practical information

Start: Start from the car park behind the school near the exit from La Liquière.

Note: For a part of the hike marked "unmarked", the GPX route will be a plus.

In the nearby area

(3) The two mills on the outskirts of Lenthéric are well worth a visit. One was wind-powered, the other water-powered. They are currently being restored, and explanatory panels are available for visitors.

(8) According to the maps, this is a "Météore hole" but this phenomenon has yet to be confirmed. At the far end, a leisure area with barrels, tables and benches invites you to relax. This is a private area called "Le Cratère" open during the summer season and run by the "Météore" restaurant at the entrance to Cabrerolles.

(11) The Château de Cabrerolles is a must-see after visiting the village, especially as it's right on the hiking trail. Here, too, you'll find plenty of information panels. In the village, the church and Chapelle de la Roque were closed at the time of our visit.

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